Battery terminal clamp



Oct. 24, 1950 s. R. GARNER 2,527,212

BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP Filed Nov. 29, 1946 IN VEN TOR. SAMUEL R. GARNER Maw ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 24, 1950 2,527,212 BATTERY TERMINAL {CLAMP ,samaeia. Garner, Cleveland, Ohio 1 Application November29,1946, Serial No. 712,764

This invention relates to terminal clamps for electric storage batteriesor the like and more particularly to an improved terminal clamp formed from sheet or strip metal and including cable attaching means whereby the end of a cable or conductor may be attached to the terminal 2 Claims. (01. 173- 259) little resiliency or spring as compared to that which can be obtained from rolled metal in sheet or strip form; Furthermore, the prior terminal clamps with which I am familiar have either been connected to the cable end by soldering or by a removable clamp device. So far as I am aware none of the prior terminal clamps have been adapted to be attached to the cable either temporarily by clamping or or other means, at the option of the user.-

It is therefore among the obie'ctsof my invention to provide a battery terminal clamp which is adapted to be formed entirely by stamping or bending operations from sheet. metalv stock and which may be either temporarilyor permanently attached to a cable. Other objects of my invention include: the provision of a terminal clamp made by stamping operations from sheet metal" and on which no machining operations are necessary; the provision of a terminal clamp which can be attached to battery terminals" of varying diameters and of either cylindrical or tapered form; the provision in a terminal clamp of means for securing theclamp' to a cable which permits use of cables ofeither round or flat cross-section; the provision of a terminal clamp made of sheet metal which is light in weight and requires a minimum of material but which has great rigidity where such is necessary and will provide an "ex-- tremelytight grip on a battery terminal; and the provision of a battery terminal and cable clamp which is of attractive design, may be economically manufactured, and is adapted for use with a wide range of battery terminal sizes and cable types and forms.

The above and other obj ects" of my invention will appear rfrom the following description of a permanently by soldering gripping sleeve is generally indicated at I.

preferred embodiment thereof reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved terminal clamp attached by my quick acting ortemporary attaching means to a cable of round cross-section, a battery terminal being illustrated in phantom lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1. I Figure 3 is a side elevation generallysimilar to Figure 1 but taken from the device.

Figure 4 is an end view taken substantially on line l--& of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional viewtakenf on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 7-1 of Figure 2 and illustrating my terminal gripping lugs or bosses.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view through the cable attaching endof my device and showing the cable gripping tangs as they appear whenbent inwardly to grip the end of a round cable.

Figure 9 isa view similar to Figure 8 but illus tr'ating how my cable clamping means is adapted to grip a flat cable.

Generally speaking my invention contemplates a stamped sheet metal battery terminal clamp having a generally cylindrical split sleeve or loop' terminal engaging portion, stifiening and terminal gripping bosses extending inwardly from the inner surface 'of the sleeve, arms extending from the split 'end's of the sleeve, means integral with one of these arms for securing the clamp to a conductor cable, and screw means for drawing thearms-together to clamp the sleeve around the battery terminal.

Referring n'owto the drawings, it will be seen that my terminal clamp is made by stamping and/or'bending operation from sheet metal and is of substantially uniform thickness throughout all parts of the body of the clamp. The terminal clamping arm '2 extends outwardly from end of the sleeve l adjacent the split or gap 3 between the ends of the sleeve I. A coacting arm 4 extends in similar manner from the opposite side of the split 3. The outer end 4 of arm 4 is formed with inwardly bent opposed tangs 5 and 6 which, together with the end 4 angular aperture 7 for receiving the stripped end 8 of the conductor cable 9. I

the opposite side 01' provide a generally tri- (see Figure 4) are formed in the flanges II and Y I2 so that the clamp C may fit over the end 4 of the arm 4 when a cable 8 is disposed in the opening 'I. A clamp screw I4 is threaded through the base It and, as is best illustrated 4 and assume the shape of the terminal. The arms 2 and 4 are reinforced and stiffened by flanges 2', 2 and 4', 4" respectively and the open ends of the sleeve l are stiffened or reinforced by the bosses I9 and 20. Thus, although my terminal clamp may be made from relatively thin gauge stock and is of substantially uniform thickness throughout, a very rigid structure is provided and the clamping nut I8 may be tightened sufficiently to give anextremely firm grip of the sleeve I upon the battery terminal I5.

At the outer end of arm 2 I preferably provide an inwardly extending boss or lug 2 I. When in Figures 4 and 5, when the screw I4 is tightened so that its inner end engages the inner side'of the arm 4, the flanges or yokes II and I2 will u be drawn down against the ends of the tangs 5- andfi which in turn will be bent inwardly to grip;the end 8 of the cable and make satisfactory physical and electrical connections between the terminal clamp and the cable. 7

.Tov clamp the sleeve I on the battery terminal I 5, -:I provide a bolt I8 which extends freely through oppositely aligned holes in the arms 2 and 4 and-has a square head II disposed in nonrotatable relation between outwardly projecting flanges.-4- and 4" on the arm 4. These flanges 4-geand '4", and the corresponding flanges 2 and 2 on arm 2 merge into the edges of sleeve I as best seen in Figure 2, thus assisting in preventing inward bending of the arms without corresponding'contraction of sleeve I. The clamp nut I8 is adapted to be tightened down upon the outwardly extending boss I8 formed in the arm 2. As the square head II of the bolt I8 is restricted from turning by the flanges 4' and 4", it is un necessary tohold the head I1 while tightening or loosening the nut I8.

When the nut I8 is tightened the arms 2 and 4" -wi ll be drawntogether and the sleeve I will be contracted to grip tightly around the battery terminal I5. An important feature of my invention, which enables me to make my clamp from" relatively thin sheet metal and which provides-the necessary rigidity. and stifiness to the partsof the sleeve I which are subjected to the greatest stress when the clamp is applied iS the opposed inwardly projecting tapering lugs r bosses I9 and 28. These bosses extend circumferentiallyof and are formed on opposite sides of the sleeve I adjacent the open ends thereof. Theyanerge gradually into themain body of the sleeve I and are substantially non-resilient relativethereto as they are integrally connected'to Y the'sleeve body at all points around their edges. This'is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5, and it will also be noted that bosses I9 and 20 have their maximum inward projection adjacentthe open ends of the sleeve. Furthermore, the vertical height of the bosses I9 and 20 is less than the height of the sleeve I and they are preferablylocated with the top and bottom edges ofthe bosses spaced inwardly from the top and bottom edges of the sleeve.

, A channel shaped cross-section, as seen in Figure '7, is provided for the inner end portions of sleeve I by means of the embossed or inwardly struck bosses l9 and 20. When the clamp is in position on a battery terminal l the outer or left hand portion of the sleeve I (as seen in Figures -1, 2 and 5) together with the inner faces of the bosses I9 and firmly grip the terminal my terminal clamp is applied to a battery terminal of relatively small diameter it may be necessary to contract the sleeve I by tightening the nut I8 until thearms 2 and 4 are almost in "engagement. In such cases, lug 2| will engage Kill qs outwardly from the split ends of said sleeve, one

the inner side of arm 4 first and the final tightening or drawing together of the open ends of sleeve I .will be facilitated by the leverage offered by this engagement of the lug 2| with the arm 4.

As hasbeen previously explained, my terminal-1 clamp is adapted either for quick and more or less temporary attachment to a cable by means of the'clamp C or for permanent attachment by crimpingand/or soldering. In Figure 8 I have I illustrated the tangs 5 and B as they appear after having been hammered or otherwise bent inwardly onto a round cable, the cable being somewhat :distorted and the tangs 5 and 6 together with the end 4 of arm 4 firmly gripping the cable end. A similar arrangement is illustrated in Figure 5 which shows the tangs 5 and 6 folded inwardly upon a cable of the flat type. It'will beunderstood by those skilled in the art that the joint'between" the clamp and the cable end may also advantageously be soldered after the cable has been gripped b the tangs 5 and '6. I have found that for use with ordinary storage batteries of the automotive type my terminal clamp may be formed from rolled sheet brass approximately 5 2' inch in thickness. Finished clamps are preferably coated with lead to form a protective covering.

Although I have described the illustrated embodiment of my' invention in considerable de- 1 tail it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat variations and modifications may be made in-the form and proportions of my device.

I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the particular arrangement herein shown and described but; claim as my invention all embodiments thereof coming within the scope of the appended claims. L .5.

I claim: pi -In a stamped sheet metal battery terminal clamp, a split terminal engaging sleeve havingv non-resilient stiffening and gripping bosses adjacent its splitends, clamping arms extending outwardly from the split ends of said sleeve, one of said arms extending beyond the other, said gripping bosses extending circumferentially of inner said sleeve away from said split ends and the radial inward projection of said bosses from the wall of said sleeve tapering from a maximum adjacent the split ends of said sleeve to a I smooth merger with the inner surface of said sleevev 2. In a stamped sheet metal battery terminal jacent its split ends, clamping arms extending REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Vibber Sept. 29, 1908 Phillips Aug. 20, 1912 Stoppenbach Mar. 18, 1924 Hutton Dec. 30, 1924 Carlson Aug. 1, 1933 Fotsch Mar. 23, 1937 Church Apr. 12, 1938 Winchester Apr. 4, 1939 

